‘We are moving toward a global economy. One way of approaching that is to pull the covers over your head. Another is to say: it may be more complicated - but that's the world I am going to live in, I might as well be good at it,’ – Philip Condit, former president, chief executive and chairman of Boeing.

Over two-thirds of the world economy is concentrated in just ten countries, making them key to international markets and global growth. The rapid development in emerging markets is hastily changing the landscape so that nations like China and India are overtaking the developed nations, such as the US and those in Europe, who have established themselves as integral cogs in the world engine.

Having compiled data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Index of Economic Freedom, the Observatory of Economic Complexity and national databases, we have a look at the top ten economies:

What are the top ten economies in the world?

According to the IMF, the top ten world economies according to gross domestic product (GDP) at current prices in 2017 were as follows:

1. The US economy

Although the US economy is dominated by the services sector, accounting for about 80% of GDP, the country is still one of the biggest manufacturers in the world and known for expertise in medical, aerospace and military equipment. It is also one of the leaders when it comes to research and development.

Economic growth in the US has been steady in recent years, comfortably outperforming the UK and eurozone. Real estate, financial and insurance services, and health and social care are some of the country’s biggest industries.

An ever-strengthening jobs market has been at the heart of the Federal Reserve’s (Fed’s) debate over when to raise interest rates and, while wage growth has not been as strong, it is expected to pick up as more people become employed, tightening the availability of staff and hopefully pushing up wages.

The election of US President Donald Trump in late 2016 has seen the government focus on overhauling the tax system, cutting red tape and reviewing trade policies, particularly with its biggest trading partner China.

2. China’s economy

China is the world’s factory and is by far the biggest manufacturer of goods. Manufacturing is at the heart of the economy, boosted by its role in the global supply chain, which sees it finish-off and export a swathe of partly-finished goods that are imported into the country, particularly from other Asian neighbours. China is expected to overtake the US as the world’s biggest economy as early as 2029.

Still, the behemoth’s agricultural sector is one of the biggest employers in the country. However, the country’s services industry is gradually growing as the country shifts away from producing cheap goods for the world.

Under President Xi Jinping, who has recently consolidated power in the country, China is moving from ‘Made in China’ to ‘Made by China’ by accelerating its technological abilities so it can compete with more advanced Western and Asian countries. While China is still very protective about allowing foreign firms entry into the country, they are increasingly opening up to the rest of the world and is investing in other countries in areas like Africa.

3. Japan’s economy

Japan is regarded as the original high-tech economy and at the forefront of Asia until it was overtaken by China in 2010. Automobiles, electronic equipment, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals and banking are all prominent industries in Japan.

Many of Japan’s modern-day problems centre on demographics, with an aging population and low birth-rate holding back growth. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been in power since 2012 and has introduced ‘Abenomics’ to rejuvenate the economy through monetary easing, flexible fiscal policy and structural reform.

4. Germany’s economy

Germany is the kingpin of the European Union, both politically and economically. The German economy is fuelled by exports of high-quality goods. The automotive industry is the engine of the country, followed by the manufacturing of machinery and chemicals.

Although Chancellor Angela Merkel has remained the country’s long-standing figurehead, her position has been weakened since her party failed to secure a majority in the 2017 elections, leading to a coalition with the opposing Social Democrats.

5. The UK economy

The UK economy has proven more resilient than most expected following the EU Referendum vote in June 2016, but Brexit will continue to be the dominant feature of the country’s economy in both the short and medium term.

The UK economy is heavily centred on services, accounting for about 80% of its entire economic output. This includes sectors like hospitality, distribution, transport, communication, and business services and finance (the latter of which has accounted for the bulk of growth in overall services output in recent decades). For context, manufacturing represents just 10% of total output while construction accounts for 6%.

6. India’s economy

Aside from its neighbour on the other side of the Himalayas, India is the other rising economic power expected to move up this list of top ten economies in the not too distant future. India’s economy is very diverse, from traditional village agriculture to computing.

Services represent about two-thirds of the country’s output, boosted by its mastery of the English language to aid the export of business, IT and communication services. Still, the service sector employs less than a third of the national workforce.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided stability since taking office in 2014, and while foreign policy has improved, the government has had issues with its currency after it scrapped high-value rupee notes causing problems around the country.

7. France’s economy

France is the other leading nation in the European Union and currently led by Emmanuel Macron, the country’s youngest president since the establishment of the Fifth Republic.

Amid high government spending weighing on public finances and a higher-than-average unemployment rate, Macron is trying to reform the economy at a rapid pace, and not without its consequences. Efforts to restructure labour laws has prompted a series of strikes by public sector employees working in sectors such as transport, for example.

In addition to pharmaceuticals, chemicals and its expertise in aerospace and automotive manufacturing, tourism also plays a significant role in the French economy.

8. Brazil’s economy

Brazil, much like wider Latin America, has been bogged down in politics and scandals in recent years, holding back the country and the region’s potential. Still, Brazil is a formidable economy on the world stage and the leader of its bloc and has managed to outperform its neighbours.

Despite its population being largely based on the coast and the fact it is home to the world’s largest rainforest, the country’s agricultural and industry sectors play second fiddle to services (like telecommunications or insurance). Services account for over two-thirds of the economy and the bulk of the remainder is comprised of sectors like petrochemicals, textiles and mining. Agriculture accounts for only a fraction of Brazil’s economy.

9. Italy’s economy

While the country’s economy remains substantial it is quite split between an industrial-focused north and a less developed south, which is more based on agriculture. This is has been one of the primary causes for the political instability that has made Italy somewhat of a problem child for the European Union, and stoked fears over the future relationship between Italy and the euro (which is particularly prominent amid Brexit and following the breakdown between the EU and Greece).

10. Canada’s economy

Canada has closely followed a similar economic stance as its larger neighbour to the south (where about two-thirds of all exports go), but after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party broke a decade-long Conservative rule in 2015, the country is shifting more toward the likes of environmental policies and shifting away from its large fossil fuel industry (such as oil sands). Forest products like wood, mining, and oil and gas all play formidable roles in the Canadian economy.

Still, the country has a significant service industry encompassing a growing technology industry (which is concentrated in its major cities) that is continuing to thrive over manufacturing and resource sectors.